Paper 3 Exploring Mars with… Curiosity!The rover Curiosity was safe on the surface of Mars. The...

IESO 2014 – Paper 3. Exploring Mars with… Curiosity! – pg. 1

In August 6th, 2012, the crane of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission started the descent of

the rover “Curiosity” on the surface of Mars. The operation was the end of a long trip of more

than eight months after its launch in Cape Canaveral (Florida, USA) in November 2011. In fact,

the engineers and scientists had lost the connection with the spacecraft a few minutes before,

when it started its entrance to the Martian atmosphere. Only after “7 minutes of terror”, did

they recover the connection to find that the spacecraft had automatically followed the plans:

reduce its speed, descend towards the target site (Gale Crater), drop the thermal shield, start

the engines of the crane, download the rover, and leave it smoothly and surely on the surface

of the red planet ready to start its operations to explore Mars. Suddenly, the operating room

in Pasadena (California, USA), was filled with cheers and applause. The rover Curiosity was safe

on the surface of Mars. The first evidence of this was the first data pack with the first pictures!

This happy moment was the starting point of the many activities of engineers and scientists.

They could steer and drive the vehicle remotely in order to study the geology of the Gale

Crater, located on the Equator of Mars. Since then (2 years ago), the vehicle has been traveling

for many kilometers stopping here and there to take pictures, analyze samples, take

measurements of various environmental parameters, and to drill and take core samples in the

rocks along its path.

Paper 3

Exploring Mars with… Curiosity!

Figure 1. Crater Gale. Image take by Curiosity rover. Courtesy of MSL/JPL/NASA.


1. Images from Curiosity confirmed the observations of previous missions (orbiters, landers

and rovers): Mars is a desert. In this case, which of the next features do you expect to

observe in the images taken by Curiosity, like Figure 1?

a) Dunes

b) Eskers

c) Alluvial fans

d) Meanders

e) Deflation basins

f) Pits

g) Moraines

h) kettles

2. However, Mars is a cold desert. The mean temperatures are below 0ºC and, in fact, the air

temperatures measured by the instruments aboard Curiosity reach -80ºC. If the pressure

is as low as 600 Pa, what are water stable phases on Mars?

a) Liquid

b) Solid

c) Gas

d) Liquid+Gas

e) Liquid+Solid

f) Solid+Gas

g) Liquid+Solid+Gas

h) Ether

i) Plasma

3. Pictures from this cold desert (at least on this day) show that the surface of Mars has a

reddish color, sometimes orange. Which mineral/s from the next list do you think that

could explain this color in the Martian surface?

a) Sulfur native

b) Hornblende

c) Pyrite

d) Limonite

e) Calcite

f) Olivine

g) Quartz

h) Hematite

i) Galena

Figure 2. Erurico Zimbres in http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Water_phase_diagram.svg


4. The surface of Mars is dry but also dusty, due to aeolian transport in normal conditions,

and especially during the periodic global dust storms. What is/are the name/s of the

transportation processes caused by the wind?

a) Saltation

b) Diffraction

c) Ejection

d) Karstification

e) Corrosion

f) Dissolution

g) Creep

h) Deflation

i) Suspension

5. During the global dust storms, the atmosphere has a high content of fine particles. What

do you think are their effects on the planet?

a) Increase the planet albedo

b) Increase the planet temperature

c) Increase the planet pressure

d) Reduce the planet albedo

e) Reduce the planet temperature

f) Reduce the planet pressure

6. Aeolian deposits do not cover all of the surface. Rocky outcrops are often visible in the

pictures acquired by the multiple cameras of the rover, some of them with clear

geological structures. Based on these observations, what are the materials in Figure 3?

a) Basalts

b) Conglomerates

c) Mylonites

d) Sandstones

e) Carbonates

f) Dolerite

g) Breccia

h) Andesite

i) Granite

7. However, the materials on Gale Crater seem to be largely eroded and weathered. Detailed images from

the Curiosity cameras, provide a picture (Figure 4-left), which looks similar to rocks on Earth (Figure 4-

right). How do you think a geologist would classify this rock?

a) Carbonates

b) Andesite

c) Slates

d) Conglomerates

e) Mylonites

f) Quartzite

g) Marbles

h) Basalts

i) Sandstones




8. The photo below shows features

that could be evidence of surface

water being part of the history of

the area. Which kind of fluvial

network best describes the pattern

in Figure 5?

a) Parallell

b) Radial

c) Concentric

d) Reticular

e) Trellis

f) Rectangular

g) Angular

h) Braided

i) Dendritic

9. Could you calculate the sinuosity index (SI) of the stream shown in Figure 6 and classify it

depending on that sinuosity? You will need your imagination, and develop your own tool

to solve this problem –as happens very often in actual research.

a) SI<1.05: almost straight

b) 1.05 ≤ SI <1.25: winding

c) 1.25 ≤ SI <1.50: twisty

d) 1.50 ≤ SI: meandering

10. Which images in Figure 7 could be evidence of an ocean or lake on Mars?

a) A

b) B

c) C

d) D

e) E

f) F

g) D and F

h) All of them

i) None of them

Figure 6. Unnamed channel in Mars. Courtesy of THEMIS/JPL/NASA.

Figure 5. Warrego Vallis. Courtesy of Viking/JPL/NASA.


11. Your answer to the previous question is derived from presence in the chosen image of…

a) Littoral dunes

b) Beach ripples

c) Beach crescents

d) Deltas

e) Faults

f) Marsh sediments

g) Fluvial channels

h) Glaciers

i) Sand spit

12. By the way, in which of the images is the main geological feature most probably a fault?

[Chose the letters a-f in your answer sheet]

13. In which of the images is the main geological feature most probably a fluvial channel?


14. In which of the images is the main geological feature is most probably a dunes field?


15. In the past, Mars not only had streams and oceans, but also had ice ages and the glaciers

covered a large part of the planet from the Equator to high latitudes. Which process could

explain better the existence of ice ages on Mars?

a) Reduction of solar energy income

b) Decrease of the volcanic activity

c) Changes of the planetary rotation axis

angle

d) Increase of the distance to the Sun

e) Reduction in the rate of impacts

f) Changes on the position of the equator

Figure 7. Images from Mars. Courtesy of THEMIS/JPL/NASA.


16. Ice processes could explain some features observed at the Mars Equator, such as those

shown in Figure 8, interpreted to be…

a) Pingos

b) Icebergs on an ice sheet

c) Poligonal terrains

d) Glacial cirques

17. Scientists think that glacial processes formed the ridge-like features observed in Figure 9

but, which of the following is the best name for this “marsform”?

a) Esker

b) Crevasse

c) Arête

d) Drumlin

e) Moraine

f) Roche moutonèe

g) Bergschrund

h) Mouline

i) Kettle

18. The Martian atmosphere is poor in water vapor, but rich in CO2, an important greenhouse

gas. Which of the following processes could naturally increase the content of greenhouse

gases in the atmosphere of Mars (as well as on the Earth)?

a) Earthquakes

b) Absence of life

c) Materials oxidation

d) Springs

e) Glaciers melting

f) Volcanic eruptions

g) Landslides

h) Run-off

i) Solar storms

Figure 8. Utopia Planitia. Courtesy of HRSC/MEx/ESA.

Figure 9. Hecates Tholus. Courtesy of CTX/MRO/JPL/NASA.


19. Pictures of the sky reveal the

presence of clouds. Based on the

classification of terrestrial clouds,

which kind of clouds are those

Figure 10?

a) Cumulus

b) Stratus

c) Nimbostratus

d) Cirrus

20. The content of O2 in the

atmosphere of Mars is about

0.15%, much lower than the

content in the Earth’s atmosphere

(aproximately 21%). What is the

most accepted explanation of the

low concentration of oxygen in Mars’ atmosphere?

a) Earthquakes

b) Absence of life

c) Materials oxidation

d) Springs

e) Volcanic eruptions

f) Glaciers melting

g) Landslides

h) Run-off

i) Solar storms

21. Figure 11 shows the vertical thermal structure (variation of temperature with height) of

Earth and Mars atmospheres. Identify the thermal structure of the Earth and Mars.

a) A represents Earth’s atmosphere

b) B represents Earth’s atmosphere

c) A represents Mars’ atmosphere

d) B represents Mars’ atmosphere

e) A and B can represent diferent

moments in Earth’s atmosphere

f) A and B can represent diferent

moments in Mars’ atmosphere

g) Neither A or B can represent Earth’s

atmosphere

h) Neither A or B can represent Mars’s

atmosphere

Figure 10. The sky as seen from Mars solid surface. Courtesy of MSL/JPL/NASA.

A

B

Figure 11. Atmospheric thermal structures of the two planets. X = Temperature ( K),Y = Altitude (km).


22. Mars, like the Earth, have different seasons during the year (summer, autumn, winter and

spring). Which of the following parameters could explain the existence of seasons on

Mars?

a) Ellipticity

b) Distance to the Sun

c) Angle of rotation axis

d) Precession angle

e) Tides

f) Existence of 2 moons

g) Magnetic field

h) Year duration

i) Solar storms

23. The meteorological station aboard Curiosity measures UV radiation. The first results

reveal high UV radiation on the surface –relatively higher than on the terrestrial surface.

With this information, what could you deduce about the atmosphere of Mars, compared

to Earth’s atmosphere?

a) It does not have mesosphere

b) It is 5 times thicker

c) There is not magnetic field

d) It has less nitrogen

e) It has less ozone

f) It is 10 time thinner

24. Curiosity is the first rover able to provide an absolute age of a rock outside the Earth.

However, from previous planetary missions, planetary geologists have used observations

of rock structures and the Basic Principles of Geology to relative date the rocks. Choose

Basic Principles used for relative dating on Mars or Earth.

a) Inclusions

b) Radioactive decay

c) Original horizontality

d) Original verticality

e) Type of fossils

f) Cooling rate

g) Law of superposition

h) Cross cutting

i) Cosmic rays

25. In general, planetary geologists use the cross-cutting relationships to decide which

materials are older or younger. Which sequence best explains, the units observed in

Figure 12 from oldest to youngest?

a) A-B-C

b) C-B-A

c) A-C-B

d) B-C-A

e) C-A-B

f) B-A-C

26. The rocky outcrops reveal important information about the most recent environmental

conditions. What would be the most likely origin of the features observed in Figure 13?

Take into account that the front left wheel of the rover shown in the picture is about 50

cm width.

a) Tectonic faults

b) Polygonal terrains

c) Wind erosion

d) Glacial erosion

e) Fluvial erosion

f) Stratification

g) Aliens’ ichnites

h) Desiccation cracks

i) Metamorphic cleavage


27. Combining data from the rover and several artificial satellites orbiting the planet,

planetary geologists drew a geological section of sedimentary materials in Mount Sharp

(the hill located in the center

of Gale Crater). What kind of

unconformity do we have?

a) Disconformity

b) Angular unconformity

c) Nonconformity

d) Paraconformity

e) Conformity

f) Any of them

28. If plate tectonics existed on Mars, which of the following features do you expect to

observe on the surface of that planet?

A

C

B

Figure 12. Claritas Fossae. Courtesy of HRSC/MEx/ESA.

Figure 13. Gale Crater. Courtesy of MSL/JPL/NASA.

Figure 14. Geological Cross Section. Courtesy of MSSS.


a) Mountain ranges

b) Only old terrains

c) Elongated depressions (trends)

d) Disperse volcanic activity

e) Absence of faults

f) Alignments of volcanic edifices

29. To know more about the inner structure of Mars, future missions will include

seismometers. However, imagine that we detected seismic waves with period of 1s, 10s

and 100 s, with associated wavelengths of 5 km, 50 km and 500 km, respectively. Which

should be the seismic wave propagation velocity?

a) 2.5 km/h

b) 5 km/h

c) 10 km/h

d) 2.5 m/h

e) 5 m/s

f) 10 km/h

g) 2.5 km/s

h) 5 km/s

i) 10 km/s

30. If a future seismometer would record a “marsquake”, but only its P waves. What could

you deduce respect to the inner structure of the planet?

a) Does not exist a core

b) There is a liquid layer inside

c) All the planet is solid

d) The planet does not have mantle

31. Tharsis and Elysium are two huge volcanic provinces of Mars, more than 2000 kilometers

in diameter each. As we do not have evidences of plate tectonics in Mars, which process

could better explain the existence of those important volcanic regions?

a) Impact craters

b) Hot spots

c) Subduction processes

d) Batholiths

e) Diapirism

f) Magma crystallization

g) Solar storms

h) Aliens activity

i) Any of them

32. Some Martian volcanoes had erupted about 350 Million year ago. In which geological

period was the Earth at that moment?

a) Upper Devonian

b) Middle Triassic

c) Lower Cambrian

d) Upper Carboniferous

e) Middle Cambrian

f) Lower Cretaceous

g) Upper Jurassic

h) Middle Silurian

i) Lower Holocene

33. None of the previous rovers have detected the presence of fossils or any other biological

marker on Mars, not even when the landing sites was located on the floor of the ancient

ocean of Mars. On Earth, which of the following are markers of the presence of life in the

ancient oceans?

a) Belemnite

b) Calamites

c) Equus

d) Hyperion

e) Mammoth

f) Quercus

g) Tyrannosaurus

h) Crinoid

i) Sigillaria


34. During its trip on the surface of Mars, Curiosity

photographed this rock (Figure 15), interpreted by the

scientific team as a meteorite. What is the most likely

origin?

a) Moon

b) Earth

c) Asteroids belt

d) Oort cloud

e) Mercury

f) Jupiter

g) Sun

h) Titan

35. Some Earth meteorites may have come from Mars, as ALH84001 located in Antarctica in

1984. What is the name of these meteorites?

a) Enstatites

b) NRL

c) Pallasites

d) SNC

e) Condrites

f) APF

g) Acondrites

h) FPA

i) Ferrodrites

36. Because it is not possible to use a compass or a Global Positioning System (GPS) to locate

and track the rovers on Mars, engineers use the positions of the stars to find them. The

main star in the sky of Mars is the Sun, at a distance of 1.5 AU. On Earth the Sun has an

angular diameter of 0.5°. What is the angular diameter of the Sun in the sky of Mars?

a) 40’

b) 30’

c) 20’

d) 10’

e) 5’

f) 1’

g) 0.4º

h) 0.5º

i) 0.6º

Read the following text and study carefully Figure 16

“Scientists used the Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument on NASA's Curiosity Mars

rover in June 2014 to examine a Martian rock "shell" about one inch (two to three

centimeters) across, embedded in fine-grained bedrock and with a dust-filled hollow interior.

This graphic (Figure 16) combines an image of the target, called "Winnipesaukee," with

spectrographic results from using ChemCam's laser on a row of points including the rock, the

matrix around it and the material filling it.”

(Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL/CNES/IRAP/LPGNantes/CNRS/IAS/MSSS).

37. Which rocks on Earth have high concentrations of Mg and Fe, and dark color, like the one

in the image?

a) Basalt

b) Biotite

c) Conglomerate

d) Clay

e) Granite

f) Gabro

g) Gneis

h) Sandstone

Figure 15. Gale Crater. Courtesy of MSL/JPL/NASA.


38. Which rocks on Earth do typically have a high concentration of Al, K, Na and Si, like the

light rock in the image?

a) Basalt

b) Biotite

c) Conglomerate

d) Clay

e) Granite

f) Gabro

g) Gneis

h) Sandstone

39. What can explain the high content of H in the dust or soil samples?

a) The water involved in weathering processes

b) The methane involved in weathering processes

c) The lower albedo of dark soil

d) The higuer albedo of dark soil

e) The Mars’ gravity, that is bigger than Earth’s gravity and holds H in the atmosphere

f) The Mars’ gravity, that is smaller than Earth’s gravity and allows H in the geosphere

40. The rounded pebbles on the right side of image show evidence of…

a) Fluvial environment

b) Magma intrusion

c) Marine environments

d) Transport of sediments

e) Weathering of rocks

f) Wind abrasion

Figure 16. ChemCam image and analysis. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL/CNES/IRAP/LPGNantes/CNRS/IAS/MSSS.

Light rock

Dark rock

Dust or soil inside

the rock shell


The skies of Mars and Earth are similar, and the scientists of the mission are able to identify

the same constellations that you can see on the terrestrial sky, as shown in Figure 17.

41. Identify the constellation X.

a) Canis major

b) Lupus

c) Dragon

d) Geminis

e) Cignus

f) Crux

g) Scorpion

h) Canis minor

i) Cassiopeia

42. Identify the constellation Y.

a) Canis major

b) Lupus

c) Dragon

d) Geminis

e) Cignus

f) Crux

g) Scorpion

h) Canis minor

i) Cassiopeia

43. Identify the main star and the name of constellation Z?

a) Betelgeuse, Canis major

b) Aldebarán, Lupus

c) Rigel, Dragon

d) Castor, Geminis

e) Deneb, Cignus

f) Beta-Polaris, Crux

g) Antares, Scorpion

h) Sirius, Canis minor

i) Pollux, Cassiopeia

As we see, planet Mars has many features similar or equivalent to those that geologists study

on Earth. Thanks to the rovers and spacecraft sent to Mars, we already have a good knowledge

about general questions such as the origin, evolution and main characteristics of the Red

Planet.

However, many observed elements have formation mechanisms and origins still undiscovered –

many detailed questions still wait for an answer. Would you become a planetary geologist to

research the mysteries of Mars and other planets?

Figure 17. Constellations as seen from Mars. Source: Stellarium.

Z

X Y

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